OCD - biological

• OCD facts

  -used to be anxiety disorder, now own subcategory in DSM & ICD

  -1.3% in UK
• how is OCD categorised

  2 main types of symptom:

  -obessions

  -compulsions
• obsessions


  -persistent & recurrent thoughts & impulses

  -case anxiety
• examples of obsessions(mental)

  -excessive fear of germs & contamination

  -doubts of forgetting something

  -impulses to shout out obscenities

  -need for symmetry
• compulsions


  -repetitive behaviours/mental acts

  -person feels driven to perform

  -perform in response to obsession

  -performing usually lowers anxiety
• compulsion examples (physical)

  -ritualistic hand washing

  -checking behaviours such as doors being locked

  -counting rituals
• relationship between obsessions & compulsions

  -frequently obsessions & compulsions are related

  >fear of germs/contamination (obsession) accompanied by excessive & ritualistic washing & cleanliness behaviour (compulsion)

  -compulsion doesn't always follow logically from obsession

  >patient turns lights on & off number of times (compulsion) to avoid disastrous things happening (obession)
• emotional characteristics


  -anxiety

  -distress

  -feelings of shame & embarrassment
• cognitive characteristics 


  -OBSESSIONS > persistent & recurrent thoughts/impulses

  -uncontrollable

  -person recognises they're unreasonable
• behavioural characteristics


  -COMPULSIONS

  -repetitive

  -feel driven to perform

  -in response to obsession

  -lower anxiety